It is with the utmost regret that Victor Hochhauser announces the cancellation of the first three performances of Sylvie Guillem’s Stories of Love & Passion (9,10,11 August). The first performance will now be Thursday 12 August.

On Wednesday Miss Guillem sustained an injury to the upper ankle of her left foot while rehearsing. She consulted with the foremost ankle specialist in the country, and underwent a scan. The injury is not serious, but rest was advised.

The injury has not healed sufficiently for Miss Guillem to undertake all her scheduled performances. She is to dance Masha in MacMillan’s Winter Dreams (partnered by both Massimo Murru and Nicolas Le Riche as Vershinin, and Anthony Dowell as her husband, Kulygin) and the role of Marguerite in Ashton Marguerite & Armand (when she will been partnered by Nicolas Le Riche). The third ballet of the evening is Alberto Alonso’s Carmen Suite created for Maya Plisetskaya and The Bolshoi Ballet in 1967 and performed on the stage of the Royal Opera House in 1969. Miss Guillem has invited Isabelle Ciaravola from the Paris Opéra Ballet to recreate the title role.

Full refunds for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will be made through the Box Office of the Royal Opera House. Ticket holders should write to the following address, enclosing their tickets: VICTOR HOCHHAUSER REFUNDS c/o Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD

Zoe Anderson, dance critic of The Independent said: "She's been very careful in the past. Because she's in the unusual position of being a guest dancer, she gets to pick and choose. But all of the noises being made suggest that this isn't a serious injury."

Following Saturday's announcement to cancel three performances of Stories of Love & Passion on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday of this week, it is with the utmost regret that Victor Hochhauser now announces the cancellation of all performances.

On Wednesday 4 August, Miss Guillem strained a tendon in her left ankle while rehearsing. She consulted with the foremost ankle specialist in the country, and underwent a scan. The injury is not serious, but 3 weeks were recommended for healing. However, in order not to let people down and to continue with the season, Miss Guillem was hoping for a miraculous recovery sufficient to enable her to dance at the end of this week. However, today's consultation with a physiotherapist advised that the injury has not healed sufficiently to permit Miss Guillem to dance without risk of aggravating the injury. Regretfully, therefore, the final four performances have been cancelled in order to allow Miss Guillem time to rest and recover completely before the beginning of next season.

Miss Guillem was to have danced Masha in MacMillan's Winter Dreams (partnered by both Massimo Murru and Nicolas Le Riche as Vershinin, and Anthony Dowell as her husband, Kulygin) and the role of Marguerite in Ashton Marguerite & Armand (when she would have been partnered by Nicolas Le Riche). The third ballet of the evening was Alberto Alonso's Carmen Suite, created for Maya Plisetskaya and The Bolshoi Ballet in 1967 and performed on the stage of the Royal Opera House in 1969. Miss Guillem had invited Isabelle Ciaravola from the Paris Opéra Ballet to recreate the title-role.

Miss Guillem said: "I am very upset and disappointed about the cancellation. I am not a dancer prone to injury and it is very rare for me to be off. This season has been planned since November and I was looking forward to presenting it at the Royal Opera House, and to dancing for everyone."

Victor and Lilian Hochhauser said: "We are deeply distressed at having to cancel Sylvie Guillem's season at Covent Garden this week. It is a huge disappointment to all of us, particularly since Sylvie has rarely suffered an injury. In the 50 years we have been involved in the arts, this is the first time that we have had to cancel a major season and we apologise most sincerely to the thousands of patrons who have bought tickets for this unique event."

Full refunds for the season are available through the Box Office of the Royal Opera House. Ticket holders should write to the following address, enclosing their tickets:

Our hearts go out to Sylvie Guillem and all the artists, technicians and administrators who have been preparing for the season and all those who had made plans to see the performances.

Also our commisserations to the Hochhausers who took on the risk of the project and have seen the worst of all possible scenarios materialise. As the people who bring the Kirov, the Bolshoi and other excellent ballet companies to this country, without a penny of state subsidy, they deserved better luck.

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